Suction propelling means



Oct. 6, 2 1,556,004 v M. E. MILLWOOD SUCTION PROPELLING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22. 1924 J/YMENTUR Mflx l. mu. M0017.

Get. 6, 25. 1,556,004

M. E, MILLWOOD SUCTION PROPELLING MEANS Filed July 22. 1924 a Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 6, 1925. 1,556,004

M. E. MILLWOOD SUCTI ON PROPELLING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 22, 1924 v IYVENTUF? Mflx EMMA/Z7012 Patented Oct. 6, 1925.

MAX marmns ulnnwoon, ornnuon'ron, ALBERTA, CANADA.

SUCTION PBOPEL'LIN G MEANS.

Application filed July 28, 1824. Serial No. 727,507.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Max E-Mmo's MILL- woon, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of the city of Edmonton,

in the Province of Alberta and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suction Propelling Means, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in suctionpropelling means, and the objects of the invention are to provide improved means of this character particularly adapted for aeroplanes, airships and the like, but which can also be applied with most satisfactory results to motor driven vehicles and machinery of all kinds.

In the example of my invention hereinafter more fully described and illustrated, it is showii as applied to an aeroplane to propel it, to cause it to rise vertically, to travel horizontally when required,and to descend vertically.

The advantages thus obtained over anything of the kind at present in use will be apparent. I am aware that many attempts have been and are. still being made to solve the problem of providing an aeroplane that can ascend and descend vertically, and that for this purpose the helicopter idea appears to be the one on which others have concentrated. With my improved suction-operated propeller, however, the difficulties experienced with the helicopter idea would be overcome and it will be possible to more efficiently perform the functions of ahelicopter as Well as those of an ordinary plane. Furthermore, the construction involved is simple, durable and more economical than that at present employed.

A further and essential object of my invention is the provision of means for operating propellers and the like by suction which can be adapted to practically allv mechanisms in which motor power is used.

With the foregoing and other objects in view hereinafter more fully explained, my

' invention consists essentially in the combination with an engine or motor having a suitable housing provided with air intake conduits and discharge opening, of a plurality of specially designed propeller blades driven by said motor and having therebetween s eclally formed and fixedlymounted ba es whereby, on the propellers being operated,

the air is sucked into and through the housmy idea and means for carrying it out are,

to all intents and purposes, directly the opposite to those atpresent in use, in that with my improved construction the propellers, instead of, as at present, operatin in the open air or water as the case mayfim, may operate within the casin in combination with baflles, and that the alr contacting with the propeller blades is concentrated or compressed for the moment, thus providing a compression chamber, in combination with baflies, in which the air for the propellers is concentrated, thus producing on each rotation of the propeller blades in the compressed air far greater power than could be attained by the propellers rotating: in the open air.

In short, the essential object and idea of my invention is the provision in a practical manner and in a convenient form of means for first compressing air and then usi the compressed air for driving or prope ling purposes by means of propeller blades in combination with suitable bafiles.

. Furthermore, with my improved means an air-cooled engine can be used with great er advantage than a water-cooled engine and with, as is Well known, much less expense and at the same time greater efliciency, as once the air has passed through the baflies it rushes to the exhaust, the mechanism casing being open at the end, and in so doing provides a current of air surrounding the engine to automatically and continuously cool it. v

A still further feature of my invention is the construction of the propeller blades formed, in combination with the hub, in two sections, and bent in a particular manner and of substantially spoon-shaped formation.

The curved formation of the baflle blades is alsoa feature and enables them todirect the current of air inwardly towards the hub or centre, thus exerting pressure at the strongest resistant point of the machine. These baflie blades are spaced apart at dis tances corresponding to the width of each.

of the blades.

Another feature of my improved'construction is the reduction of engine speed,

at the same time giving more satisfactory through the shell or casing containing the propeller mechanism.

Figure 4 is a face view of the baffies and pro ellers.

Figure 5 is a similar view of'the baflles.

Figure 6 a section on line 6-6 of Fig-.

ure 4 showing the staggered arrangement of the propeller blades. I

Figure 's a planview of the mechanism for operating the air intake. 4

Figure 8 is a sectional detail of the aero-v plane wing. 3

' Figure 9 isa perspective detail of the air conduit sleeve for said wing.

Figure 10 is a perspective detail of the propeller blade.-

Figure 11 is a sectional detail showing the manner of fitting the blades to the hub.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, in the example of my invention here shown as applied to an aeroplane, A designates an aeroplane comprising the wing 10, body 11, tail 12, and steeringosmechanism 13. In the position usually occupied by the propeller is a casing or shell 14. This casin in combination with suitable intake and ischarge air conduits in the machine hereinafter more fully described, is adapted to house the engine 15 provided with a driving shaft 16 mounted in ball-bearings 17 in the casing.

Referring now more particularly to the casing or shell as illustrated in Figure 3, this 1s here shown as substantially domeshaped and is formed with channels or conduits 18 and 19 extending longitudinally from adjacent the base towards the front and formed at their front ends with openings 18 and 19 communicating with the hollow head 46 in the nose of the casing or shell 14. lln spaced relationship to these channels are similarly formed shorter channels or conduits 20 and-21 in the shell having openings 20 and 21 at their inner ends also communicating with the hollow head 46., It will thus be seen that the channels 18 and 19, in combination with the channels 20 and 21 formed in the shell, are so arranged as to convey aneven supply of air in operation to the hollow-head 46. In other words, the member 1 1- is practically a double shell, the air. conduits or channels forming the division between the outer'shell portion 14 14;. The other ends of these channels or conduits 20 and 21 are connected by means of conduits or pipes 30 and 31 with air intake openings 28 and 29 in the front of the wing 10, while the channels or conduits 18 .and 19 of the shell are connected at their '27 with the air intake openings 22 and 23 in the top of the wing 10. These wing openings are designed to form air intakes, the

conduits 18 and 19 communicating with openings 22 and 23 being used when it is desired to propel the machine vertically upwards and then, on assuming a required position, the openings 22 and 23 are closed and the openings 28 and 29 in the wing are opened to cause the machine totravel in ,a

horizontal direction. Whenit is desired to descend, the openings 22 and '23 are opened and the openings 28 and 29 are closed. In connection with these air intakes rotatably mounted on the shaft 16 are the ropellers 32 comprising four blades of special spoonshaped formation, as illustrated in Figure 10, and provided with openings 36 in the squared inner ends 37 whereby they are connected to the hub 38. It will also be noted that they are made'in two sections and that when assembled they will be in staggered relationship, as shown in Figure 6.

lit should also be noted that]: provide, as illustrated in Figure '8, a partitioning di rectin member 67. to be used in connection with the air intakes 28 and 29in the front of the wings, so as to cause the air rushing in to be spread and thus to evenly enter the conduits 20 and 21 on their way to the chamber 46.

Mounted in the casing and provided with a hub 38 provided with ball bearings 39 for the shaft 16 to rotate in is the bafile carry ing member 10 (see Figures 3, 4 and 5). This member comprises a plurality of spaced and curved baffles or blades 42- curved-formation of these baflles is designed.

to scoop, as it were, the air so as to automaticallyconduct it inwardly towards the centre. The rims 43 of the baflles are preferably, as here shown, hinged at t5.

and the inner channel portion wing 10, simultaneouslye baflles between the propellers causing it, as

previously explained, to be directed downwardly to the centre under pressure, thus forming, as it were a pocket of compressedair to contact with the rotating propeller blades and to be gripped by them as they rotate in the staggered relationship, as illustrated in Figure 6. After passing throu h the battles the air then passes through t e second propeller, and thenfinally it is discharged through the open discharge 47 of the shell, having between the propellers and said opening or exhaust automatically cooled theengine 15 in its travel,

Referring now more particularly to the air intake openings and the conduits, the mechanism for opening and closing the air intakes 22 and 23 in the top of the wing and 28 and 29 in' the front of the wing is illustrated in Figures 7, 8 and 9 and consists of a lon itudinally extending shaft 48 provided witi an operating handle 49 at its inner end within reach of the pilot of the machine. I with a worm 50 adapted to mesh with a worm gear on a transversely extending shaft 52 provided with gears 53 and 54 at each end adapted to operate the shutters or valves for opening and closing the openings 22 and 23. A second worm 55 is also provided on the shaft 48- designed to mesh with a gear 56 on a transversely extending shaft 57 parallel with the shaft 52. This shaft 57 carries sleeve members 58 at each end and is also provided with a gear 59 adapted to mesh with agear 60 and a gear rod 60. These sleeves are designed to fit into the wings and to rotate therein, on the shafts 57 being operated. The sleeve mem-' bers 58 are provided with a longitudinal opening 61 so that when rotated to open the.

intakes '28 and 29 the opening 61 in the sleeve will register therewith, and vice versa. The body of thesleeve when further. rotated will form a closure or shutter for.

the openings 28 and 29.

This shaft 52 is arranged to operate at each end, similar to the shafts 57, and it will be seen that, .on the operating wheel. 49 being turned and the shaft 52'0perated to open the top openings 22 and 23 in the with this operation the shafts 57 will operated to close the air intakes 28 and 29 so that only one set of these intakes will be open at any time,

This shaft. 48 is provided,

.as. before explained; The top intakes 22 and 23 are opened when it is required to raise the machine vertically, the air then. being sucked in through the conduits 18 and 19 in the shell and travelling, as indicated by the arrows, into the chamber 46. Then, on the intakes 22 and 23 being closed to cause the machine to travel in a horizontal direction, "by opening the intakes'28 and 29, the air is drawn in through the latter and travels as indicated by the arrows in Figure3, to the chamber 46 and from there is compressed by the. baflie and operated upon by the propeller blades to drive the machine.

Having now dealt with the operation of opening and closing the air intakes 28 and 29,1. will proceed to describe the mechanism for opening and shutting the air intakes 22 and 23'which consists of shutters or closure members62adapted to fit into these openings and provided with suitable padding 63 to make them airtight when in closed position. These closure members 62 are provided with a cross supporting bar 64 to which is connected the shaft 65 carrying at its lower and opposite end the gear 54 designed to mesh with the-gear 53 on the transversely extending shaft 52 whereby, on the latter being operated, the shutters 62 are moved upwardly or downwardly on the guideways 66 extending vertically at each side, (see Figure 8).

openin the air intakes and allowing the air to e sucked in under the influence of the propellers in the casing 10. The rush of air thus created by means of the propellers and the temporary vacuum 'formed in the chamber 46 then hits the propellers and is:

at .once in its passage through them arrested by the fixedly mounted baffle 43 on the drive shaft 16, momentarily causing the air to concentrate or become compressed, before reaching the second propellers and thus, as previously explained, providing concentrated or compressed air momentarily and thereby increased resistance to the action of the propeller blades whereby greater efliciency and speed is obtained with a decreased number of propeller rotations. On the plane assuming a predetermined height the mechanism 1s further operated to close the intakes 22 and 23 and open the air intakes 28 and 29, with the result. that:

the air is similarly sucked in through the latter openings and the machine propelled horizontally instead of vertically.

The advantages of my improved means will now be apparent in descending, when the air intakes 28 and 29 are closed and the top air intakes 22 and 23 are opened. Moreover, with the conveniences described, it would be possible to hover over a certain point. 1 Y The chamber 46 has, as may be seen, the propellers so arranged as to completely extendaeross it forming, as it were, aback for it so that when the propellers are rotated the air, after passing through them and the baffle member, will be exhausted through the open discharge at the end of the casing and around the engine, thereby It may be automatically keeping it cool. advisable, instead of allowin the air to discharge horizontally, to provide means for diverting the exhaust air downwardly and then upwardly beneath the machine to assist it in raising.

\Vhile my invention is here shown as applied to an aeroplane, it can be adapted for a great many other purposes, such as air- I ships, motorsleighs and cars, motor boats,

river transportation, mining ventilation, life saving apparatus from the shore to the ships in distress, in fact in any manner in which power is used.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention, within the scope of the claims, constructed without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. In means of the character described, a casing having air intakes and discharge openings and formed with air channels,

' power generating means within the casing,

a driving shaft for the power means, pairs of propellers keyed on said shaft and in spaced relationship to one another, a baffle member rigidly mounted in the casing between the pairs of propellers, a hub for the baffle member adapted to operatively engage with said shaft, a plurality of blades formlationship'to one another, a baflie member. rigidly mounted in the casing between the pairs of propellers and including curved blades spaced from one another at a distance equal to the width ofa blade.

3. The means as described in claim 2 in which the baflie member comprises a hub adapted to operatively engage with the driving shaft, a plurality of spaced blades curved inwardly towards the hub to concentrate the air pressure on the hub and a rim formed of hingedsections for the blades.

' 4. In means of the character described, a double casing formed with a hollow nose or head, air channels in the casing, a. prime mover, a plurality of propellers, arranged in pairs in spaced relationship to one another, rotatably mounted in said casing and designed to form with the walls of the easing an air chamber, a baflle member rigidly mounted in the casing, between the pairs of propellers, air. intakes communicating throu h said channels with the air chamber, where y on the propellers being operated the air is drawn into the chamber to contact with the baffle member to be concentrated and compressed, air discharge means for the casing.

5. In aeroplanes and the like, an engine provided with a casing, a driving shaft,

propellers mounted in airs on said shaftand in spaced relations ip to one another and having their blades in staggered relationship, non-rotatable bafile members between each pair of propellers, means for supplying air to the casing comprising channels in the casing, air conduits connecting said channels with air intake openings. in the aeroplane wings, closures for said air intakes, mechanism for operating the closures and an open air exhaust for the casing whereby the air is discharged on each side of the engine to cool.

6. In aeroplanes and the like and in combination with a casing for the engine, a propeller shaft, a plurality of propellers mounted in pairs on said shaft, the pairs being in spaced relationship to one another and having their blades in staggered rela tionship, a non-rotatable bafile member be tween each pain of propellers, means for supplying air to the casings comprising channels formed in the casing and communicating through air conduits with air intake openings in the wings of the aeroplane, closures for saidair intakes, mechanism for operating the closures to raise and lower the plane and to drive it horizontally, an open air exhaust for the casing whereby the air is discharged on each side of the engine to cool.

7. The device as described in claim 6 in which the air intake openingsin the wing are formed in the top and front sides of the wing respectively.

opposite sides thereof opening into the easing at one end and connected to the air intake 0 enings in the wingtops at the other end, 0 annels spaced from the aforementloned channels and spaced from one another formed in sald casing and opening at one, end into the casing and connected through conduits at their other ends with the air intake openings in the front of the wings, closures for said wing top and side air intake openings, and mechanism for simultaneously opening the top air intakes and closing the side air intakes and for closin the top air intakes and opening the side air intakes'simultaneously to cause'the machine to rise vertically and travel horizontally. p

10. An aero lane having air intake openings in the mug tops and air intake 0 enings in the front of the wings, an airtight casing for the engine, air conduit means in said casing communicating with the wing top air intakes and the wing side air intakes respectively, a propeller shaft for the engine, a plurality of pairs of propellers on said shaft, said pairs being in spaced relationship to one another, a non-rotatable bafile member between the pairs, a plurality of spaced baflle blades in said member, the space between the'blades being e ual to the width, of a propeller blade, an the propellers being arranged so as to cause the blades to be in staggered relationship to one another, air exhaust means for the casing, closures for the airintakes, and mechanism for operating the closures whereby, when the top intakes are closed, the side air intakes are opened, and whereby, when the side air intakes are closed, the top air intakes are opened. a

11. In an aeroplane, the combination with "intake openings in the top ofthe'wings, and air intake openings in the front of the wings, of an airtight casing for the engine having an air chamber therein communicating with the wing top air intakes and the win side air intakes respectively, closures for sald air intakes and means for opening one set of air intakes and closing the other set of air intakes simultaneously andwhereby, on the propellers and the intake closure mechanism being operated, the air is drawn into said chamber, baffle member on the propeller shaft between said propellers whereby, on the in-sucked air passing through the first propellers, it is compressed by said bafile member before reaching the second set of propellers.

12. The means as described in claimll in which the baflie member is non-rotatablev and arraned between pairs of propellers and in which-the blades are suitably curved and provided with a hingedly jointed rim.

13. The combination with the means de-{ scribed in claim 11 in which an engine or the like. is housed within the casing for' operating the propellers and in which dis-- charge means are provided in the casing to discharge the exhaust air on each side of the engine to automatically cool it.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

MAX EMIL US MILLWOOD. 

